Water-heater.



PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907. J. M. WHITE & F. H. ROSS.-

WATER HEATER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21. 1906.

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nvavifozQ No. 870,208. PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907. J. M. WHITE & F. H. ROSS.

WATER HEATER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21. 1906.

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JOSEPH M. WHITE AND FRANK H. ROSS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

WATER-HE ATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

Application filed July 21, 1906- Serial No. 327,158.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH M.Wn1rn and FRANK H. Ross, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Water- Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to water heaters of the tubular kind, and has for its object to provide an improved water heater of the instantaneous class, characterized particularly by the fact that double tubes are used with the water therebetween in the form of a ring or film, and the heat is applied to both the inner and outer tubes, whereby the heat has to penetrate only a very short distance, with a corresponding rapidity of action with respect to heating the water.

A further feature of the invention is its cheapness in proportion to its capacity. Straight pipes are used, thus avoiding coiling or special bending, and these pipes are set in the heater in sections, so that any section can at any time be removed for repair or otherwise, and the heater can still be used while the section is out. Ora new section can be put in place in a very few minutes.

Each section consists of two tubes, one placed within the other, leaving a thin space of say a fraction of an inch between the tubes, through which space the water passes; a burner is placed within the inner tube and another bm'ner is provided which heats the outer tube,

and consequently the heat has to penetrate only a small fraction of an inch. The water forms a film, instead of a column or pipe of water, as when single tubes are used, and in the latter case a heater can be placed only on the outside of the water column, and therefore requires a much greater time to heat through said col umn than when the heat is applied to both sides of the water film, as in the present invention.

A further feature of the present invention is an economical and compact arrangement of the sections, and a capability of definite extension so that a heater of any desired size can be formed by the mere addition of duplicate or similar sections.

Further features of novelty and improvement will be apparent from the following desci iption and the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of the heater. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the heater with the casing removed. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation, partly in section. Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation, with the casing in section.

Referring specifically to the drawings, A indicates the inlet manifold to which the supply pipe from the water main is connected, and A indicates the outlet manifold to which the service pipe is connected. These manifolds are connected to all the heater sections, respectively, by pipes and unions a and a.

As stated, the heater is built up in sections, and each section consists of a header 0 at one end and a header D at the other, connected by tubes E and F arranged one within the other. Two sets of these tubes are used in each section, and they are connected to each header by coupling rings and unions K and M, with packing L in the joints. The front header D is' hollow across, to connect the tube on one side with the tube on the other, and the rear header O has a partition indicated at c. The course of the water is thus from the inlet manifold A through one tube E, across header D, and other tube E to outlet manifold A. The header D has a central opening d therethrough,

to allow the entry of the burner Q within the inner tube F. These burners consist of tubes provided with perforations and with a suitable mixing device N, connected by pipe and union n to the gas manifold B to which the gas is supplied from the gas main. The manifold also supplies gas to lower pipe burners Q which are located under the bottom section and which serve to heat outer tubes E of all the sections. To this end, the heat from the burners Q is retained by means of a shield G which extends around the tubes'of the respective sections and causes the heat to flow in contact therewith, as indicated in Fig. 3, the heat finally escaping out the ends of the shield into the outer casing H, which covers or incloses the whole heater. The shield and casing are conveniently made of sheet iron or the like, and a pipe may be connected to the casing at R to carry off the products of combustion. The header O has openings therethrough as indicated at c to allow the products of combustion from the burners Q to flow through the tubes and out into the rear end of the casing and thence to outlet.

A branch pipe 7) leads from the gas manifold B to a pilot or lighting device comprising a gas pipe P and an outer mixing pipe 0 provided with jet openings 0 directed toward each of the burners Q and Q for the purpose of lighting the same simultaneously when the gas is turned on.

As stated, the heater is built up of a series of the sections above described, one being placed upon the other, and thus any number necessary may be constructed; or in case of plants requiring a large supply a battery of heaters may be built up and properly connected.

In case removal or repair of any one of the sections becomes necessary it may be quickly effected by uncoupling the nuts M and (the burners Q having been uncoupled and pulled out) the pipes E and F can be lifted out and new pipes put in place. Or the headers can be capped if new pipes are not available. This can be done without disconnecting the entire heater or interfering with its subsequent operation, since the removal of any section will not prevent the use of the remaining sections. The headers of the lowest section conveniently stand upon legs X cast integral therewith, and accidental movement of the superposed sections is prevented by a strip Y connecting the rear headers.

By the construction shown, heat is supplied from the burners Q directly to the inside of the pipes F, and from the burners Q to the outside of the pipes E, and inasmuch as the film of water between these pipes is comparatively thin it becomes hot at once, inasmuch as the heating surface exposed is several times greater than if lieat were applied to the outside of a tube containing a solid column of water.

1' claim:

1. A water heater section comprising a pair 01 units each of which consists of an inner and an outer tube with a water space between, headers connected to said tubes and connecting said units, the headers at one end being open to allow a flow from one unit to the other, and the headers at the other end being closed against such flow, and connected at opposite sides to inlet and outlet pipes, and said headers having openings therethrough into the inner tubes, to admit a burner therein.

2. A water heater comprising; a plurality of superposed sections, each section comprising a pair of double tubes connected together at one end and with a water space between the inner and the outer tubes, inlet and outlet manifolds connected respectively to the other ends of the tubes of all the sections, burners extending into the inner tubes of each section, and burners located under the outer tubes of the sections.

3. A water heater comprising a plurality of superposed horizontally extending sections, each section having inner and outer tubes with headers at the ends, said headers having openings therethrough into the inner tubes, burners extending through the headers into the inner tubes, a burner located under the bottom section, and a shield in closing said sections and extending from the last mentioned burner, to confine the heat therefrom to the outer tubes.

4. A water heater comprising a plurality of superposed sections, each section consisting of sets of inner and outer tubes with water spaces therebetween, said tubes arranged horizontally, the respective sets of each section being connected together at both ends by headers, the header at one end allowing flow from one set to the other and the header at the other end being connected on opposite sides to inlet and outlet vessels which are connected in common to all the sets, a series of burners corresponding to the sets, each burner consisting of a pipe which extends through one of the headers into the inner tube, burners located under the lower section, a shield leading from said last mentioned burners up around the outer tubes of all the sections, said burners being removable lengthwise, within the tubes, and said tubes having detachable connections to the headers.

5. In a water heater, in combination,. a plurality of superposed sections, each section consisting of inner and outer tubes extending substantially horizontally and having a water space therebetween, a burner extending lengthwise within each inner tube and having jet openings along the same, and another burner located under the outer tubes.

6. In a water heater, in combination, a plurality of sections placed one above the other, each section consisting of inner and outer horizontal tubes with a water space therebetween, headers having openings therethrough at the ends of the tubes, burners extending through the openings in the headers into the inner tubes, and a burner located under the assembled sections.

In testimony whereof we have signed our name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

JOSEPH M. WHITE. FRANK l-I. ROSS.

Witnesses ISAIAH WHIsnnn, SHIRLEY J. BOMMHARDT. 

